Filling-detecting mechanism for looms.



No. 840,377. PATENTED JAN. 1, 1907.- C.P.ROPER.

FILLING-DETECTING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS. I APPLICATION IILBD JAN.17. 1906- 1!: mm": Fsrnu ca wuumarou, n. c.

To all whom it may concern..-

unrrnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES F. ROPER. OF HOPEDALE. MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR ,TO

DRAPER COMPANY, OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A- CORPORA- TION OF MAINE.

FILLING-DETECTING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 1, 1907.

Application filed January 17, 1906. Serial No. 296.457-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES F. ROPER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Hopedale, county of Worcester, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Filling-Detecting Mechanism for Looms, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention has for its object the-production of novel and efficient mechanism for detecting the failure, either by breakage or complete exhaustion, of the running filling in a loom, means being provided for preventing any engagement or contact between the filling-fork and the hook of the vibrator until filling failure occurs, and I have also provided novel means for preventing rebound or vibrating of the fork after it has been moved by engagement with the intact filling.

The rebounding of the filling-fork after it has been tilted is objectionable, as it causes more or less vibratory movement of the fork, interfering with its prompt and efficient action to detect filling failure.

In my present invention the momentum of the fork, due to its return movement to proper detecting position, is taken up or absorbed so effectually and rapidly that the fork be comes inert or dead practically instantaneously in position to properly detect the presence or absence of filling.

The various novel features ,of my invention will be fully described in the subjoined specification and particularly pointed out in the following claims.

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a sufficientenlarged section on the line 7 7, Fig. 2, of the friction coupling or connection between the vibrator and its hook.

Referringto the drawings, the guide 1 fixedly mounted on the breast-beam inpractice, the bifurcated slide' presenting parallel sides 2 3', herein shown as connected by a transverse bridge 4, (said slide being longitudinally movable in the guide 1,) the tilting filling-fork fulcrumed at 5 on the slide and having depending tines 6 and a tail 7, and the vibrator 8, sometimes termed the weft-hammer, are in general of well-known construction. The forked is adapted to intermittingly engage and be tilted by intact filling, the tail 7 at such time being elevated in usual manner, the fork remaining quiescent when the filling fails, and thereby causing outward movement of the fork-slide, as will be explained.

The upper end of the vibrator is herein bifurcated to present upturned cheeks 9, connected by a transverse pin 10, on which is fulcrumed the hub 11 (see Fig. 7) of the hook 12, the latter having at its free rear end a shoulder 13 to cooperate with the fork-tail upon filling failure to effect outward movement of the slide, and thereby cause a change in the operation of the loom. Said hub 11 is annularly recessed at'lt to form a seat for a coiled spring 15, and a metallic disk 16 closes the seat, the disk having a laterallybent ear 17 extended between two projections 18 on the hub to cause the disk to turn in unison with the hub on the pin 10.

Washers 19, of leather, rawhide, or other suitable material, are interposed between one cheek 9 and one face of the hub and between the disk 16 and' the other cheek, the spring actingto press hub and disk against the washers, so that the hook will remain in any angular position relative to the vibrator until positively moved to another position.

The construction just described constitutes a friction coupling or connection between the vibrator and the hook, the hub of the latter having an upturned radial lug 20.

Said lugprojects into an elongated slot 21, formed ina plate 22, adj ustably secured to the bridge 4 by a clamping-bolt 23, its shank extending through a slotted hole 24 inthe plate, (see Fig. 3,) the plate being held from lateral displacement by the raised edges 4? of the bridge.

The plate '22 is so adjusted that when the vibrator reaches the end of its inward stroke the lug 20 by engagement with the inner end of the slot 21 will rock the hook and elevate it into the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 when its shoulder 13 is in cooperative relation to the fork-tail. As the fork is tilted by the intact filling the vibrator begins its outwardstroke, and on such stroke the lug 20 engages the outer end .ofslot 2]. and rocks the hook, depressing. it into the position. shown in Fig. 3.

There is no change in the relative position ofvibrator and hook till the hook is elevated at; the end of the inward stroke, as has been .described,:to the positionshown in Figs. 1 .and2.

If, however, the filling: fails, the fork willinotbe tilted and the hook-shoulder engages the fork-tail and the slideis moved outward, carrying with it the plate 22, so

that'there is no chance of any accidental disengagement of the hook and the fork-tail, and

.theioperationof the lOOlIlrlS changed. By 'means of the clamping-bolt 23 the plate 22 is accurately .adjustedto effect the elevation anddepression of'the hook at the proper time.

I have provided a check for the fork which not: only takes up the momentum thereof after it has been. tilted, but also serves as a .rest: to sustain: thefork in detecting position .with its, tail entirely free from contact or engagement .with the hook, no. engagement of hook and fork-tail takingplace until filling failure is detected.

The principle in mechanics is well .known that if a moving body impinges upon a body .at rest of substantially the weight of the mov- ;ing! body the latter will be brought to. rest at the moment of impact, while the motionis .transferred to the body which wasv at rest.

Imakeuse of this principle 1n mypresent invention, the momentum of.the fork on its return movement after tilting being transferred to orrtakenup by'a movable body,

leaving thefork-at rest perfectly inert in de later-ally at 27, the legs being connected at their upper ends by. a cross-piece 28, having a hole 29. therein, Figs. 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6. This member is droppedonto the side 3 of the fork-slide, loosely straddling-the same, the hole 29receiving an upright projection 3 on -rest- 27.

the side to prevent displacement of the impact member, a finger 30 on the plate 22 resting on the tip of the projection.

The greater weight of. thelonger outer. leg 25 causes the momentum member to assume a normal position, as shown in Fig. ,4, slightly lifting the bend or rest 27; but when the fork returns from its'tiltedposition the descending tail 7 impinges upon the rest 27 and acts to rock or shift the momentum member into the position shown in Fig. 5. The effective weight of the momentum member is substantially equal to the effective weight of the fork, so that the fork comes instantly torest, while its momentum is taken up or absorbed by the movable member or. check, the :latter being moved to abnormal position.

By taking up or transferring 1 the momentrim of the fork to said member there is-no .reboundito-the fork, and it'remains dead or inert in detecting-position, and,.-as'willbe tact with the hook, being sustained by the Thefork-tail, however, is then in position to be engaged bythe hook-shoulder 13-if filling failure is detected on the :neXt' detecting-pick.

As the fork is again tiltedby. intact filling,

raising the tail from. the rest 27, theweight of the leg .25 causesithe momentum memberto shift or move automatically intonormalposition, Fig. 4, in readinessitosagain cooperate .with the fork.

So far. as I am aware it.is broadlyxnewto provide meanstoztake up'the momentum of :the fork after tilting, and I=believeit-is also new topositively changeithe position of the 'hook from operative toinoperative position,

and vice versa, and accordingly my invention is not restricted to w the precise. construction and arrangement herein shown and described, as changes or modificationsin various particulars may be made by those skilled in the art without departingffrom the spirit and scope of my invention."

Having fully described. my invention, What I claim aslnew, and desire'to secureby2Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, in aloom, of a slide, a tilting fork mounted thereon :andhaving a tail, a-vibrator, a'hookthereon. to cooperate with thefork-tail upon-detection-of filling failure, means to positively move the hook into cooperatingposition with relation to. the fork-tail atthe inner end of thestroke ofthe vibrator, and means to sustain the fork in detecting position independent of the' hook.

2. The combination,,in@a loom, ofxa fillingfork adapted to be. tilted by intact filling and providedwith a tail, avibrator, a hook movably mounted-thereon to cooperate withthe tail upon detection of filling failure, means to positively move the hook into operative position with relation to. the tail atthe' inner end of the vibrator-stroke and to change the position of the hook at the outer end of the stroke, and means to prevent engagement of the hook and fork-tail until filling failure is detected. V

3. The combination, in a loom, of a fillingfork, a vibrator having a hook to cooperate with the fork upon detection of filling failure thereby, and means to prevent any contact between the hook and forkeXc-ept upon filling failure.

4. Thecombination, \with, a filling-fork having a tail, and adapted to be tilted by intact filling, of a vibrator, a hook fulcrunied thereon and to 006 erate with the fork-tail upon detection of fi ling failure, a friction device to normally prevent relative movement of the hook, and vibrator, and means to inoperatively position the hook when the vibrator completes its outward stroke and to operatively position the hook with relation to the fork-tail when the vibrator is at the inner end of its stroke.

5. The combination, with a fork-slide and a filling-fork mounted tiltably thereon and having a tail, of a vibrator, a hook, a'frictioncoupling between it and the vibrator, said hook having an attached lug radial to its fulcrum, and a slotted plate mounted on the slide and cooperating with the lug, the latter by engaging the outer end of the slot depressing the hook, andelevating the hook by engaging the inner end of the slot, such eleva-- tion positioning the hook in readiness to cooperate with the tail if the fork is not tilted.

6. The combination, with a filling-fork having a tail and adapted to be tilted by intact filling, of a vibrator, ahook carried thereby, means to positively move the hook into and out of operative position relative to the fork-tail as the vibrator moves in and out, and a momentum-absorbing member to sup- 1 port the fork-tail free of the hook when the fork is at rest and to prevent rebound of the fork after tilting thereof.

7. The combination, with a filling-fork having a tail and adapted to be tilted by intact filling, and a slide on which. the fork is fulcrumed, of a vibrator, a hook carried thereby, means acting on the inward stroke of the vibrator to positively move the hook into position to cooperate with the fork-tail, and a momentum member movably mounted on the slide and acting to support the fork-tail free of. the hook when the latter is operatively positioned and to take up the momentum and thereby prevent rebound of the fork after tilting thereof.

8. The combination, with a filling fork having a tail and adapted to be tilted by intact filling, and a slide on which the fork is fulcrumed, of a vibrator, a hook carried thereby, means acting on the inward stroke of the vibrator to positively move the hook into posubstantially n-shaped momentum member loosely straddling one side of the fork-slide and having its inner end bent laterally to support the fork-tail free of the hook when the latter is operatively positioned and to take up the momentum of the fork after tilting thereof.

9. The combination, with a tilting-fillingfork, of a momentum-absorbing member to cooperate therewith and prevent rebound after the fork has been tilted.

10. The combination, with a tilting fillingfork, of a movable member to cooperate therewith after tilting and take up the momentum of the fork, preventing rebound.

11. The combination with a filling-fork adapted to be tilted by intact filling, of means which by or through its momentum stops the fork after tilting at a definite point without rebound.

12. The combination, with a filling-fork adapted to be tilted by intactfilling, of a slide on which the fork is sustained, and a member movably mounted on the slide to cooperate with the fork after tilting and take up the momentum thereof.

13. The combination with a filling-fork adapted to be tilted by intact filling, of a slide on which the fork is sustained, and a member mounted to rock on the slide and adapted to cooperate with the fork after tilting thereof, the effective weight of said member being so disposed as to take up the momentum of the fork when cooperating therewith.

14. The combination with a filling-fork adapted to be tilted by intact filling and provided with a tail, of a forkslide, and a momentum-check loosely mounted to rock on the slide and having at its inner end a projection to engage and support the fork-tail, the outer end of said check being heavier than the inner end, engagement of the fork-tail with the inner end of the check after tilting of the fork changing the-position of the said check and acting by virtue of'its heavier end to take up the momentum of the fork.

15. The combination, with a filling-fork provided with a tail and adapted to be tilted by intact filling, and a slide on which the fork is fulcrumed, of an upright projection on one side of the slide, of a momentum member bent to loosely embrace the side and having an aperture to receive the projection, saidmember having its shorter inner end bent to form a rest for the fork-tail, the impact of the latter on the said rest after tilting of the fork shifting the position of the momentum mem- Ioo pact of the fork-tail after tilting: of'thelfork and Whichreturnsautomatically to normal position When'the-fork is tilted. I 17. The combination, Witha filling-fork, 5 having a tail and adapted tobetiltedbydntact fillin ,enda slide on-Which thefork is fulcrume of a device movably mounted on the slide and which is moved from its normal position by theimpact ofthe forketail after 10 tilting of thefork'and which returns automatically to. such position when: the fork :is

:Inrtestimony whereof Lh-avessigned my 15 name to this specification in the presence of two-subscribingWitnesses.

V 'OHARDES F. .ROPER. iWit'nesses -;GE0RGE OTrs sDR-APER, ERNEST W. W001). 

